Which One?

[FuntimePhil]

Ok im getting confused and need help.

I have 10k give or take. I originally wanted a hybrid, no particular reason, i just liked the idea but ive noticed i can get newer and lower miles if i stick to petrol.

Either way i want a SE-L model.

What are the main differences (apart from running costs) that separate the petrol over the hybrid.

Which do you prefer

Ultimately which is better?

[katabrontes]

Hi Phil

I had the same decision to make when I bought my 350 last year.

If you look at new ones then the cost difference between the petrol and hybrid isn't too great (or wasn't when you could buy both) but the second-hand values are very far apart. I reckoned it would have cost me about £8K more to buy a similar hybrid (low mileage 2006 RX350SE). OK it costs a bit more to run but you get a lot of petrol for £8K.

Personally I would avoid the SEL as I have seen reports of expensive problems with the air suspension. I opted for a 350 rather than a 400H as we leave the car for a while when we are away and the Battery problems with the 400H (which don't seem to happen with the 450) would have been inconvenient.

Sadly the "business case" for most green technology is pretty weak in my opinion.

I have pasted the spreadsheet on costs I did before I bought mine.

Regards

Mike

CAR LEXUS LEXUS VW MERCEDES AUDI Annual Fuel/Road Tax Costs in France SURF RX400 RX300/350 TOUAREG ML270/280/320 Q7 Dimensions £14-16K £10-12K £8-14K £11-18K £18-20K Hybrid Petrol/litre Diesel/litre LPG/litre Exchange rate Road Tax £240.00 £475.00 £475.00 £465.00 €/£ Width at back loading door 1230 1150 1150 MPG € 1.47 € 1.47 € 1.35 € 0.85 1.2 Annual Mileage Width at wheel arches 940 1010 1010 ML270/280/320 29 6000 £1,627.18 £1,533.12 £1,248.79 Annual save on gas LPG conv. Payback Width at back of rear seat (folded down) 1300 1350 1350 RX350/Q7/Touareg 24 £1,867.21 £1,412.08 £455.13 £1,896.00 4.2 Save on hybrid Height at loading door 810 780 780 RX400H 29 £1,392.18 £710.04 Height above folded rear seat 830 690 690 RX450H 34 £1,222.74 £1,133.53 £879.47 Length at floor level to back of front
seat 1700 1850 1850 Fuel cost ratio (Fr) Length at full height 1600 1160 1160 0.58 Max load weight (Kg) 800 505 505 415 645 795 Costs using fuel cost ratio £1,867.21 £1,199.65 £667.57 2.8 Load Volume (seats down) (litres) 1700 1500 1500 1570 2050 2035 Load Volume (seats up) (litres) 850 900 900 555 551 775 Ground clearance (mm) 210 MPG 24 31 27 27 29 27 Car Tax (£) 240 475 460 460 Pre March 2006 220 270 270 270

[lurch]

The Rx400 sel doesn't have air suspension but RX300 etc do. Me personally Hybrid , tax will be a little cheaper, only issue is the small Battery for starting but once new one fitted will last a few years, mine when sits in garage is connected to trickle charger which keeps it up as I don't use mine for weeks and when I leave it at airport I plug a solar charger in, have had no probs. dvd screens for kids are great.

[DanD]

I would recommend that you test drive both if you can. Running costs aside, they are different to drive, and have different appeal.

The 400h is more powerful and is faster, but at the same time makes for a more relaxed drive in my opinion. Whilst the 300/350 have a conventional auto gearbox, the 400h relies on a CVT/stepless gearbox. It is quieter than the petrol model at lower speed thanks to the hybrid system, but on the other hand screams at you when you put your foot down whilst the CVT "catches up". Also, the two behave slightly differently on windy roads as the 400h is heavier, although i couldn't say which is best.

As pointed out by others, the 400h was never available with air suspension (I think this was because of the space taken by the hybrid system), and apart from the different gearbox other differences are minimal. I seem to recall that the 300 has conventional rear lights, whereas the 400h has LEDs.

[billgatesisaconman]

I agree with Daniel, you really need to give them both a good test drive, the 400 is a bit different to drive,

I still find mine a bit odd 2 years on ... its more the gearbox than the hybrid side, with there being no gear change, it doesn't feel like your going as fast as you actually are ...

It looks like a bad time to buy one though m8, there aren't a lot of Rx 400's for sale at the minute & the prices seem a bit steep,

The only thing I would suggest regardless of which model you choose is that make sure it has all the toys ....

[welland]

On 11/6/2014 at 3:52 PM, DanD said:

As pointed out by others, the 400h was never available with air suspension (I think this was because of the space taken by the hybrid system), 

Interesting that.  I am presently looking for an rx400h and today looked at an SE.  I have so far found very few differences between SE and SEL (Rear DVDs standard in the SEL, SatNav standard in SEL and optional in the SE), but the salesman today told me that the SEL had air suspension - and advised me that it was best avoided due to unnecessary benefits and high cost of maintenance.  

[GrahamG]

I would avoid air suspension even on a new car let alone an old one. In my experience it confers no advantage whatsoever and can cost £1000 a corner [there are ride height sensors as well as the strut] when it goes wrong.

Have had my RX350SE four years [no air struts] and hope to drive it forever.

The 350 is faster and more economical than the 300 series and has a timing chain therefore no belt to change.

[rayaans]

17 hours ago, welland said:

Interesting that.  I am presently looking for an rx400h and today looked at an SE.  I have so far found very few differences between SE and SEL (Rear DVDs standard in the SEL, SatNav standard in SEL and optional in the SE), but the salesman today told me that the SEL had air suspension - and advised me that it was best avoided due to unnecessary benefits and high cost of maintenance.  

 

2 hours ago, GrahamG said:

I would avoid air suspension even on a new car let alone an old one. In my experience it confers no advantage whatsoever and can cost £1000 a corner [there are ride height sensors as well as the strut] when it goes wrong.

Have had my RX350SE four years [no air struts] and hope to drive it forever.

The 350 is faster and more economical than the 300 series and has a timing chain therefore no belt to change.

No air suspension on 400h. 

However - you guys have brought back a 3 year old post from the grave!